Spiraling closer
by Lothiriel84
Summary: A collection of one-shots about Jane and/or Lisbon - past, present, and future. Other characters will put in an appearace as well.
1. Living a lie

_**Author's**__** note: **written for the Prompt Table activity on the Paint It Red Forum - prompt: "Living a lie"_

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**Living a lie**

His arm wrapped around her slender waist, pulling her for a kiss.

The woman always tasted so good – just like the first day his lips had met hers.

She smelled of lavender and soap, and her light brown hair felt as smooth as silk under his fingers.

"It's good to be back home."

Angela couldn't help smiling against his lips. Then she captured his mouth for another kiss.

"It's good to have you back."

A pity he would have to wait a little longer before showing her how much he had missed her. Well, the night wasn't so far away after all…

"Where's my lovely princess?"

His beautiful wife smiled fondly at him. "She's upstairs, waiting for you."

He pecked her lightly on the cheek and headed to his daughter's room – purposely ignoring the small pang of guilt he experienced every time he was back from one of his psychic readings.

Charlotte didn't deserve a con man as a father.

Pushing that though aside he fixed a warm smile on his face. As far as his little daughter didn't know anything about this, it was going to be alright.

Wasn't it?


	2. Blessing in disguise

_**Author's note:**__written for the Prompt Table activity on the Paint It Red Forum - prompt: "Blessing in disguise"  
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_(this is a bit dark, so be warned...)  
_

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**Blessing in disguise**

His breakdown had been perfectly understandable under the circumstances. Who would escape unscathed from such a horrible tragedy?

He still felt like he was drowning. There had been so much blood…

The blood of his wife and daughter – his precious little family slaughtered like innocent lambs.

It was his fault. He was the one who killed them.

They kept him inside a locked room. Said he was losing his sanity.

He didn't mind in the least. Losing the few remnants of his sanity was his last hope as a matter of fact.

Then a woman came to talk to him. Her soothing voice somewhat made its way through the turmoil of his brain.

_I know you're feeling powerless right now. But you're in control. You have a choice. You can choose to let people defeat you, or you can fight back. You can fight. Or you can give up and die. It's your choice._

Sophie Miller taught him never to give up. He had to fight.

His new purpose in life was finding Red John and killing him – in the slowest, most painful way he could think about.

She had helped him to make his choice, and he would always be grateful for that.


	3. The price of power

_**Author's**__** note: **written for the Prompt Table activity on the Paint It Red Forum - prompt: "The price of power"_

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**The price of power**

She had seen her younger brothers getting married and having kids.

Had even met her partner's wife – while Mandy Bosco never suspected that the promising rookie was in love with her husband.

Then she joined the CBI and moved to Sacramento. She was sort of married to her job now.

A senior agent doesn't have too much time for trifles like dating or anything of the kind. And it's not so easy to reconcile such a career with an hypothetical family of your own.

If that was the price she had to pay, she was willing to accept it.

What she really missed was a _friend_.

Someone you can share ice-cream and banter with. Someone who understands you at a glance. Someone to make you smile whenever you need it.

Shrugging she stood up and headed towards her boss's office. Minelli had told her that a new guy had just signed up as a consultant – and had specifically required to join her team.

She vaguely wondered what sort of man she was going to meet.


	4. Don't build a wall, build a bridge

_**Author's**__** note: **written for the Prompt Table activity on the Paint It Red Forum - prompt: "Don't build a wall, build a bridge"_

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**Don't build a wall, build a bridge**

Yeah, he constantly drove her crazy. He was probably the most annoying man that had ever stepped on this Earth.

Yet she couldn't bear to see him pulling away from her – from the whole team. Shutting them out as if they weren't his friends.

The closest thing to a family he still had nowadays.

She could partly understand his urge to build walls around himself. She had done the same for years as a matter of fact.

That didn't mean locking yourself up into an impenetrable fortress was always a good idea. Especially when you only companions were ghosts and demons from you past.

It's never wise to burn every bridge you have crossed.

With a sigh she slid the attic door open.

"Jane?", she called into the darkness as she approached his makeshift bed.

A single beam of light coming from the window allowed her to see his face – and the gleeful sparkle flashing into his eyes almost against his own will.

Neither of them uttered a word as his hand reached out to meet hers.


	5. Desire

_**Author's**__** note: **written for the Prompt Table activity on the Paint It Red Forum - prompt: "Desire"_

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**Desire**

He was kissing her like his very life depended on it.

_Red John is dead_, a small part of his brain kept on telling him. It looked as if the thought had suddenly prompted him to make up for lost time.

A moan escaped from her throat as one of his hands wandered somewhere along the hem of her shirt. Her skin felt almost like velvet under his touch.

"Don't stop", she murmured huskily as he leaned his forehead against hers – his breath shallow, his head spinning as his own emotions threatened to overwhelm him.

He took his time to explore the softness of her lips again – the taste of her last coffee still lingering on them. His senses were committing to memory every single detail about her – those beautiful green irises peering through half-closed eyelids, strands of her tousled hair hanging loose about her cheeks.

"We'd better stop instead."

His voice was barely recognizable to his own ears. Teresa opened her eyes fully this time, and stared at him uncomprehendingly for a while.

"If you're not sure about this…"

"I am. It's just…"

His thumbs traced a line from her cheekbones to her jaw as he gave her another peck on the lips.

"I don't want you to be my lover. I want you to be my wife."

He could tell that this statement had left her completely breathless.

"Okay", she whispered at long last.

Running her palms along his shoulders she wrapped her arms around him and buried her head in the crook of his neck.

As he hugged her back tightly, the same thought crossed their minds.

All they needed now was a little patience – that was all.


End file.
